Shutter Speed
by CallMeKurios
Summary: "Let's just say that the honeymoon phase on the Avengers is over" - She fell in love with art the way everyone does: by realizing one day that it's the only thing that makes sense to her. But when she's given 6 people to photograph, she struggles to make sense of them almost as much as they struggle to make sense with themselves. Loose CapAm/OC. Set in the MCU post Age of Ultron
1. Chapter 1

Her life changed over a skinny caramel latte, no foam.

The cup had been slid down the counter to her by Andy, a tall blue paper cup with neat black block letters around the bottom telling her what the order was. She went to work crafting the drink, setting up the espresso shots before pumping some syrup into the cup. She wasn't working on auto pilot but she wasn't really focused either, thinking about what she'd do when she got off work, the groceries she had to buy and the cleaning she had to do as she started to heat and froth the milk. She heard the machine beep twice, signalling the espresso shots were done, when a voice interrupted her thoughts and hands.

"These photographs are beautiful. Is the artist local?" a woman asked, her voice warm but sharp.

She brought her eyes off the stainless steel machine across the counter to an impeccably dressed redhead, a blackberry in one hand as she looked across the cafe at all the photos. She didn't have to ask what the woman meant, she got this question all the time. Littered on the walls around them was different landscape and portrait photos taken from around the city. She let her eyes skim the photos before going back to the coffee, her hands dumping the espresso into the cup before topping it up with the hot milk. As ordered she held off the foam, sliding it across the counter to the woman before replying.

"Yes, very local. They're mine" she said as she wiped her hands off on her yellow apron. She extended a hand across the counter to the woman who shook it warmly, smiling even wider.

"They're stunning. So E. James, that's you?" the woman asked as she accepted her coffee, pulling it close as she reached for a lid.

"Yeah, the E stands for Eva. Eva James" she finished, the woman nodding appreciatively as she fit a lid onto the top of her cup. She watched as the woman turned to leave, her sheet of strawberry blonde hair fanning down her back as she spun around but then halted as she stopped. Eva watched as her head swivelled around the cafe once more before turning back to her. She watched the woman smile before tossing her blackberry in her purse, pulling out a small leather notepad and pen.

"Actually, do you have a minute to talk?"

* * *

She had to hand it to her, Pepper Potts knew how to cut to the point. They didn't talk for long, but that didn't mean the conversation wasn't substantial- after a brief discussion and repeated enthusiasm for her work, Pepper offered to put her on a retainer for creative services, mostly for her photography. In less than 30 minutes Eva went from being a barista to being a creative asset for Stark Industries and in 35 minutes she went from being broke as hell to having more money than she'd ever hope to earn in a life time. The cheque had so many zeroes that it had made her head spin, almost choking on the water she'd been sipping when Pepper had lamented how she wished she could have offered more.

"I think your work is great but the assignment won't be easy. I wish I could pay you more but our creative services budget doesn't have a lot of room to play with" Pepper had said as she finished off her latte, brushing some of her hair out of her face.

Eva concealed her cough into a laugh, prying her eyes of the cheque for the first time in minutes as set hercup back down to look up at the redhead.

"No, this, I mean, this is extremely generous" she stuttered as she waved the cheque, Pepper smiling warmly back at her. She was about to follow up with another question when a phone started to chime loudly, Eva watching as Pepper reached down into her purse and withdrew her blackberry, grimacing almost instantly at what she saw.

"I've got to run but I'll be in touch shortly with the next steps. The assignment is going to take around 6-8 months with quite a bit of travel so I don't think you can keep working here. Will that be a problem?" Pepper inquired hesitantly as she rose to leave, Eva rising with her.

She swallowed her laughter as she shook her head, gesturing meekly to her surroundings.

"I think I'll survive without this place" she offered, Pepper giving her a warm smile once again. She watched the redhead move towards the door as she offered a final wave, Eva pocketing the cheque as she watched her leave. As soon as she was out of sight Eva inhaled deeply, committing the scent to memory before grabbing her purse from the back, pulling her apron over her head, and dropping it on the barista counter on her way out.

* * *

Eva James had fallen into photography the way most people do- by picking up a camera and realizing she had a knack for it. She'd been 10 when she took her first photograph, a grainy, out of focus shot of her father's foot. But she kept snapping photos, figuring it out shot by shot, and by the time she finished high school she knew it was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. So she did what all aspiring photographers do: she went to NYU for a BA in Photography, finishing two years ago with a fancy diploma, a well-stocked portfolio, and almost $40 000 in debt. Her parents, while thankfully supportive of her passions and always ready to drop off some groceries if she needed them, couldn't help her much financial so she did what almost everyone else in her class did after they graduated: got a job at a coffee shop and displayed her art, waiting to be noticed.

She just never thought it'd actually happen. She figured she'd be living a modest life for the rest of her years, working odd jobs with photography on the side. She'd never entertained the idea of being a full time photographer no matter how romantic that notion sounded because she knew how few and far between those opportunities were- unless you were on someone's payroll, there weren't many freelance photographers who you'd call successful. So she'd come to terms with what she thought her future would be long ago, knowing that as long as she got to take photos every now and again, that'd she'd be happy. As long as photography was in her life in one way or another, she'd be just fine.

But now she was here, standing in her favourite photography store with a basket full of Sigma and Tamron lenses and filters that she was waiting to pay for. She'd just come from the bank where she'd deposited the cheque and paid her loans and debt off in one fel swoop, enjoying the bug eyed look the teller had given her when she'd pushed the cheque across the counter towards him just a little too much. It felt delirious to have this much money but she didn't think on it, pushing the thoughts of designer clothing and fast cars out of her mind. She had a job to do and she needed to focus on that, not that she knew what she'd be doing just yet.

She was just sliding the key into the door of her 4th story walk up when she heard her phone chime, Eva turning the key and thrusting the door open with her shoulder. She set her purse and bag of lenses down gently on the table as she grabbed her phone, flopping down on the sofa as she pulled up the email onto the screen.

 _Eva-_

 _I've attached your itinerary for the next 6 months. All your travel and accommodations have been paid for and I've tried to include some travel activities when I could. An updated passport and some other items will be waiting for you at the check in counter for your flight tomorrow morning to Washington, DC. Sorry that you have to leave so quickly but we are working on a relatively tight timeline. If you let me know you're address I'll arrange for someone to collect your mail, pay your bills and rent while you are out of town._

 _I'm not sure how familiar you are with who I am or what I do but I am the CEO of Stark Industries. We work heavily with the Avengers on quite a few projects, including the ones I have for you._

 _New York was devastated after the alien attack, just like Sokovia has been devastated by a similar attack. Every time the Avengers rip through a city or a town on a mission they leave a crush of bad media coverage in their wake. I have no issues with the media criticizing the job they do, but from a PR stand point, we need to do something. The world needs to better understand the Avengers, and I think that can happen with your work. So I'd like to give you 3 projects to work on- 1 set of internal portraits, 1 set of portraits for external use, and a series of photos that we can design a photo essay with._

 _If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to reach out. Good luck working with everyone, and I can't wait to see what you capture._

 _Pepper._

Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she held her breath, scrolling through the itinerary at the bottom of the email. DC. Cambodia. Kazakhstan. London. Kentucky. Los Angeles. And then DC again.

She yelled loudly as she kicked her feet in the air in excitement, unable to contain it. She could have never imagined an opportunity like this. But now it was her's. And it all started tomorrow.

(A/n: This is my first venture into Avengers/CapAmerica fanfiction so, hopefully you enjoyed this first chapter! Anyways. About the story: this won't be an action packed Avengers story. It's going to be more about the characters and their insights, who they are and the way they each see the world (or at least, how I think they see the world). The moments I love most about the movies are those shared moments between each of them- I love a good fight scene but the moments of sincerity or vulnerability and what I love the most. This story will (hopefully) be full of them. Comments and reviews are always appreciated ))

Enjoy )


	2. Chapter 2: JFK to IAD

**Chapter 2: JFK to IAD**

* * *

Just like the itinerary said, a black town car pulled up in front of her apartment building at precisely 5AM. She was waiting in the stairwell for it, sitting on the 4th step with her bags at her feet. She should have been exhausted this early in the morning but she wasn't. In fact, she'd never felt more awake.

Packing was easy. After arranging her apartment bills, rent, and utilities with Pepper over a quick phone call, she packed her camera bag tightly with everything she thought she'd need- extra battery packs, her favourite lenses, some filters and her mobile flash. It was harder for her to pack her equipment that it was for her to pack her clothes- she threw some jeans, shorts, dresses, undergarments and a pile of t-shirts into a suitcase and zipped it shut without giving it a second thought, knowing in the back of her head that she could just buy clothes if she needed them. She packed and repacked her camera bag a half dozen times before heading to bed, struggling to fall asleep as the clock chimed midnight.

How could she sleep? She was about to embark on the single greatest adventure of her 27 year old life. She'd lived in New York her entire life, leaving the state only a half dozen times to travel to see family or visit sights in neighbouring states. She'd never left the country let alone the continent, and now she was about to head to Cambodia, Bali and Thailand for a month to take photos and travel. She knew she should have been more nervous than she felt but all she could think of was how lucky she was, and how incredible the trip was going to be. She couldn't wait.

She'd sent her parents a lengthy email with all the details of what had happened over the past 12 hours- the contract she'd signed, where she'd be going, where she'd be staying, but glossing over what she'd be doing. Pepper in their phone call had impressed upon her an air of confidentiality, asking for Eva to keep the projects close to her chest. If the media caught wind of a photographer travelling with the Avengers they'd have a field day, since press requests for interviews with the team members were routinely denied. This only added to the intrigue of the project and amplified her excitement, knowing how exclusive of access she was going to have. But it was also nerve wrecking: she really had no base knowledge of any of the Avengers to go on, because they were so secretive. She really had no idea what to expect from them.

The car pulled up and a neatly dressed driver stepped out of the car, waving to her through the glass window. She perked up immediately and rose, hitching her camera bag over one shoulder and her purse over the other. He walked over and pulled the door open for her as she stepped down from the stairs, her suitcase gliding silently behind her.

"Good morning Ms. James. I'm your driver, Edward. I'll be with you for the next 6 months" he greeted as he shook her hand, giving her a friendly smile.

She met his hand warmly, returning the smile with equal openness. He was a middle aged man, if she had to guess probably in his mid 40's, with salt and pepper hair and a friendly face. He was one of those men who, even though she didn't know him, put her at ease. He didn't give off any bad or wanton vibes- he just seemed friendly.

She liked him immediately.

"May I take your bag?" he asked as he gestured to the suitcase she was pulling. She offered it to him and he accepted the handle instantly, motioning for her to follow as he led her to the car. He deposited her suitcase in the trunk next to his own, a smaller navy blue case with the embossed logo of Stark Industries, before opening the passenger side door for her.

"I take it you also work for Ms. Potts?" she asked once he was seated beside her, his hand turning the key as the engine turned over almost silently. She watched him smile and nod once as he checked his mirrors, pulling them out onto the empty street as they headed towards the airport.

"I do. I was a concierge in Budapest before she hired me. Now I accompany Stark Industry employees when they travel to help make the experience more enjoyable. I arrange trips, excursions, can make you restaurant reservations, and drive you wherever you need to go" he offered with another warm smile.

She smiled back as she pushed some hair out of her face, giving him a nod.

"Wow that sounds incredible. Do you enjoy it?" she inquired, watching as he smiled and chuckled to himself.

"While I love helping people experience new cultures, it's not the part of the job I love or enjoy the most" he said with another chuckle.

"While I'm travelling I also do some liaison work with the Stark Relief Foundation- I'll help set up work projects for the foundation in areas that need assistance or source out new charities that could use some aid from the SRF. Because I get to travel so much I have quite a few contacts around the globe which makes it easier for the SRF to get on the ground. I get to help people every time I get on a plane, which I think is the most rewarding job of all" he finished, his voice strong and proud.

She could tell by the way he spoke how proud he was of what he got to do for a living and she had to smile because of it, knowing he probably he had hundreds of amazing stories to tell. She filed away that information for later and a comfortable silence fell between them, the black town car gliding silently across the streets of Manhattan as he navigated them towards JFK.

They were at the check in gates for their 6:50AM flight to Washington just after 5:30AM, the two of them being one of only a handful of other travelers at the gate. She was fishing her drivers license out of her wallet when she heard a voice call her name, her dark brown eyes flashing up to a friendly flight attendant waving at her from one of the check in counters.

"Ms James, we've been waiting for you" the woman chirped pleasantly, a hesitant smile playing across Eva's lips as she approached her. How did this woman know who she was? It became clear a moment later as the woman slid a passport and a thin laptop bag across the counter towards her, along with her travel documentation.

"Morning Amanda. Any news on the weather in Washington today?" Edward greeted pleasantly as he saddled up beside her, his passport out and ready in his hand.

Eva watched as the woman, apparently named Amanda, smiled at Edward as she took his passport, scanning it quickly before sliding it back with his boarding pass pressed between his passport's pages.

"Sunny with a high of 65" Amanda responded brightly, Edward giving a chuckle.

"You all set, Ms. James?" Amanda asked as her attention returned to Eva who was only now thumbing through her passport. There were already visa stamps for the different countries she'd be travelling to on many of the pages, her mind giving Pepper yet another stamp of approval for how efficient she must be. She slipped her passport and boarding pass into her purse as she wrapped a hand around the laptop bag, unsure of its contents.

"Yes, thank you so much" she said with a smile, Amanda returning it with a grin and a nod. The flight attendant took both of their suitcases and put bag tags on both of them before they disappeared on the conveyor belt behind her, Amanda directing them to the security entrance just a few desks down before wishing them a great trip. She followed Edward as he lead her through the maze of belts to security, both of them breezing through and arriving at their gate a few moments later. He asked if he could get her anything before disappearing, leaving Eva alone with her thoughts for the first time all morning.

She slipped her camera bag and purse off her shoulders and onto the seat beside her as she pulled the laptop bag onto her lap, unzipping it for the first time. A smart phone tumbled out, a large touchscreen phone with a silver backing and the Stark Industries logo in black. She powered it on and waited for it to boot up as she pulled out the next item, a thin Apple laptop that powered up instantly. She was thrilled to see it had all the latest editing software loaded onto it as she search through the control bar, noticing eventually that there was only one file on her desktop- a folder marked READ ME.

She opened up the folder and found 7 folders and a word document entitled 'READ ME FIRST'. She did as ordered.

 _Eva-_

 _In each of these files is some of the personal histories of each of your subjects- Dr. Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Thor Odinson, and Steve Rogers. I'm not sure how familiar you are with the Avengers but these files should get you up to speed regarding who they are and what they bring to the table. You've been granted temporary access to these files by SHIELD so please keep this information to yourself. I share this information with you in hopes that it gives you insight into who these individuals are and what their stories are like- hopefully it will help you take the best portraits possible._

 _I've also included a 7th folder filled with all the press coverage the Avengers have received. Hopefully by going through it you'll get a better sense of what we're up against._

 _Good luck,_

 _Pepper._

She exited from the document and went back to the folder page, reading the titles.

 _Banner/Hulk._

 _Thor._

 _Romanoff/Black Widow._

 _Stark/Iron Man._

 _Barton/Hawkeye._

 _Rogers/Captain America._

Truth was, she knew more about the Avengers than Pepper probably thought. It was hard to live in New York City in 2014 and not know who the Avengers were- you either loved them for saving you or hated them for ruining your city after the alien attack two years ago. But not her- she was in that grey zone in between, neither admiring nor condemning them for what they did. She'd been in the city the day the sky opened up, taking shelter in a library close to her apartment as she watched the streets she walked everyday turn into a war zone. She remembered the days after the attack and the news stories that came out- citizens extolling how amazing the Avengers had been while politicians criticized them for having ruined most of Manhattan. But no matter what she heard, she stayed neutral to all of it, knowing that she'd need some time to process what she'd seen. The photographs she'd taken in the days after the attack were some of her favourite shots, but also some of the more painful ones to look at- a juxtaposition she knew mirrored her own feelings about it all.

She scanned through the list again, knowing that once she learned more about these people that there'd be no turning back. She knew that the more she learned about them, the more invested she'd be in them which, as she thought about it, was likely exactly what Pepper wanted. The more interested Eva was in her subjects, the better photos she'd take- it was something Eva had told Pepper about her style of photography during that first meeting they'd had in the coffee shop. She had to hand it yet again to Ms. Potts. The woman was thorough.

She settled on the last name in the list, double clicking the name _Rogers_ as she opened it up, diving in after giving one last deep breath.

 **(A/n: Thanks for the feedback on the last chapter. Reviews are always welcome :) )**


	3. Chapter 3: Cold Steel

**Chapter 3: Cold Steel**

* * *

The flight from New York to Washington was quick, too quick for her to get through all 6 of them. It didn't even give her enough time to go through his, at least not as thoroughly as she would have liked. It had taken all of 30 minutes for her to become totally engrossed in Steve Rogers and another 2 hours for her to realize just how much work she had ahead of her. His story was so compelling, so dynamic, that it was going to be next to impossible for her to capture him the way she wanted to, in a way that conveyed all the things she'd want to convey. She realized this just before their plane touched down at Dulles, Eva exhaling with a huff as she blew some hair out of her face.

She followed Edward off the plane and towards the baggage carousel, his hands beating her's to her bag as it made its way around to them. She watched him walk towards a friendly looking caramel skinned man who he embraced warmly, the pair of them hugging as though they were old friends. She stood a polite distance away, giving them privacy to talk, when she heard a quiet beep chime from her purse. She fished the phone out from it and switched it on, a text message on the screen from Pepper.

 _Hope your flight went well! – P_

She smiled inwardly and started setting up her email on the phone, a few unread messages arriving in her inbox. One from her old co-worker Andy, one from her parents, and a bit of spam. She was about to open the one from her parents when Edward appeared in front of her, her eyes coming off the screen as she switched the phone off and threw it back into her bag.

"Ready, Ms. James?" he inquired with a smile, Eva returning it gladly. She nodded and followed him out, a black town car waiting for them just outside the airport doors.

She checked her itinerary as they drove, preparing herself for the next step. They were headed to HQ, the Avengers Headquarters, a few hours north of DC. She settled herself in for a long ride, pulling out her laptop and loading his file once again.

They was something about his story that intrigued her. He'd been bred to be a super soldier and ended up locked in ice for almost 70 years, only to be thrown once again back into war without giving it a second thought. He's a man who's never known peace time, someone who's more comfortable in conflict than in quiet. He helped destroy the foreign terrorist agency HYDRA after they'd infiltrated SHIELD, a battle resulting in heavy mechanical pollution of the Potomac. She remembered reading about that attack, something about Heli-carriers and global destruction. She remembered thinking how things couldn't get any worse, but she saw the irony in that now though. His story was incredibly compelling, and it intrigued her to no end. He was going to be a fascinating person to get to know.

Somewhere just outside of DC she dozed off, waking later to the sound of a dull, short buzzing sound in her ears. Her dark eyes blinked open to see them pulling through a large steel gate that was opening for them. She heard Edward quietly say something before she heard his window shut, their car pulling them forward into a wide, expansive, green area. The rain had cleared, affording her a full view of their surroundings- lush green grass and a nearby forest. It looked like they were, for all intents and purposes, in the middle of no where. She felt their car hug the curves in the winding, snaking road and a few minutes later, it came into view.

Even from far away it looked massive. The tall glass and steel facade stuck out from the green space like a sore thumb, the intimidation factor only growing as they got closer and closer. The next thing she knew they were pulling up in front, the car going quiet as Edward hopped out and popped her door open a moment later. Her nose was filled with the scent of freshly cut grass as she inhaled deeply, trying to take it all in. The building in front of her made her want to cower in fear, something she realized was probably an intended effect. She heard the car trunk slam shut as Edward beckoned her to follow, her feet following without thought.

They climbed the stairs, her eyes not even bothering to try to guide her feet as she kept trying to take it all in. In one word, the building was...cold. Cold steel, if she could use 2 words. It was huge, bigger than imaginable now that she was standing in front of it, and seemed to be a void that sucked in all the light. They reached the landing and the large glass doors opened silently for them, pulling apart and drawing them in just like the outer gate did. Her eyes scanned the foyer, a few people in dark blue uniforms milling about, as they approached a friendly looking young man sitting at a bare desk, only a monitor and keyboard sitting on top of it.

"Edward! I saw that we'd be expecting you today" the young man said enthusiastically as they approached, hopping up from his desk and coming around to greet them.

She watched as Edward shook the other man's hand warmly, throwing his other hand onto the man's shoulder in polite affection. She heard them exchange brief pleasantries before Edward gestured towards her, a smile coming to her face.

"Travis, I believe you're also expecting Ms. James?" Edward introduced as he gestured towards her, Eva giving a small wave.

She watched as Travis nodded politely, rounding back to his desk to retrieve something, a small, thin tablet.

"Ms James everything is dictated by bio metric protocols here at AHQ so I will need to scan your right palm if possible" he asked, gesturing to her hand. She offered up her hand, a blue laser flashing across her hand for a split second before a cool female voice with a slight British accent called out,

"Welcome Ms. James to Avengers Headquarters. Access level Beta"

She watched Travis nod in confirmation, giving her a reassuring smile as he moved once again back towards his desk.

"We've set you both up in Delta wing, it's the closest to the board room. Rooms 415 and 419. Just scan your palm to enter, your names should be on the door" Travis said, directing them down the hallway.

He shook Edward's hand warmly again before offering his hand to Eva as well, her hand matching his as well as a warm smile

"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to come down and ask Ms. James. Enjoy your stay" he said as he waved goodbye, her feet taking her down the hallway behind Edward as he pulled their suitcases behind him. Her eyes flashed from wall to wall, still trying to get her feet underneath her. They just reached the elevators when their doors opened, depositing a man and woman right in front of them.

She would have recognized him anyway, having just spent hours staring at his file. He was taller in person, at least 6'3 to her own 5'10, and was bigger, more muscular, than she had imagined. He was talking to a woman with brassy red hair, the pair of them speaking in hushed tones as they stepped off and turned right, focused only on each other and whatever they were talking about. Her eyes had locked onto him the second she'd seen him and hadn't left, watching him walk all the way down the hallway.

 _So he was real_.

She followed Edward onto the elevator and a few minutes later, she was standing outside her room. She waved her palm as she'd been instructed to and sure enough the doors opened, lights turning on to invite her into a small but inviting room. Dropping her suitcase just inside and her bag onto the single bed pushed up against the wall, she fished out her phone and camera, twisting on a 30mm lens before heading back out into the hallway. There was a lot to see, and she was determined to see it all.

* * *

Her clearance granted her access to almost everything thankfully, her feet taking her all across the complex over the next few hours. She shot a few pictures as she went, not knowing just yet what she'd need. A black and white photo of the looming, intimidating entrance, some stock photos of personnel milling to and fro, a landscape shot out of one of the expansive glass windows- this building was stunning, and stunningly built. She made it back to her room with time to spare, pulling off the black t-shirt and pulling on a flattering pale pink blouse. She arranged her hair in a neat braid off to one side and swiped at her eyes with some mascara, hoping to bring some life back to her face. She re-checked the itinerary to get the room location before heading off, camera on her back as always as she navigated herself to where she had to go.

On the elevator ride down she felt her stomach flip flop, knowing that at that very moment there was no going back. She was officially in this and couldn't back away even if she wanted to. She thought she was anxious but that wasn't it- she was primed with nervous excitement, albeit also nervous about how this team would welcome her.

Boardroom A45 was at the end of a long, bright corridor, on a level that she had to scan her palm to get access to. As soon as she got off the elevator she was met by two guards who scanned both her and her camera before allowing her to pass. There was a guard stationed every 10 feet or so down the hallway, a few of them giving her friendly, re-assuring smiles while the rest of them mostly ignored her. She was about 6 feet from the door when her heartbeat went into over drive, approaching slowly.

The door was glass and she could see people inside but she still knocked before entering, noticing the conversation halt as soon as she opened the door. Inside were 2 people around a table while 4 were on screens, all eyes both real and digital on her.

"Are you lost?"

It was the woman who spoke, one of the two people in the room. It was the brassy redhead from earlier, her combat boot clad feet up on the table as she surveyed Eva critically. She shook her head slowly as she looked back around the room, going from each of the 4 monitors before landing back on the redhead.

"I don't think so. I'm here for the meeting. I'm the photographer?" she offered weakly, pulling at her neck strap as her camera came back to the front of her chest.

She pulled it off her body and held it in her hand, hoping that the visual would trigger the memory. Her eyes scanned the room again as she eventually looked at him, his 6'3 frame sitting up-right in a chair with a straight back, almost as if he were at full attention . His eyes met her's and she gulped, feeling her skin grow hot under his intense gaze.

"Photographer? Who sent you?" one of the voices from the screen called.

Her eyes flickered towards him, a dark haired man with wire rimmed glasses who was looking at her carefully. He had a concerned if not cautious look on his face, deep set eyes and a kind but wrinkled face. He looked older, probably late 30s to early 40s, and was wearing a white lab coat. If she had to guess, it was Dr. Banner.

"Ms. Potts. She's commissioned a set of portraits of each of you, 2 sets actually " she explained, trying yet another avenue to try to get them on board. Her heart was doing overtime now, desperate for someone to say they understood why she was there. Was this a joke? Were they pulling her leg? Her eyes searched the crowd again and eventually landed back on him, willing him to understand her. She pleaded with her dark eyes into his blue ones, watching as he tried to follow what she was saying.

Movement caught her eye and she looked back to the redhead who's face was now pointed at one of the screens.

"Tony?" the woman asked, a man with a goatee sighing dramatically as well as giving a dramatic eye roll.

"She might have said something about this once, a while ago, after having one too many cocktails. I didn't think she was serious" he said, his voice sarcastic and heavy with pretension.

 _Tony Stark_ , she thought.

"Well apparently she was. What's your name, Miss?" another voice from a different monitor called, drawing her attention away again. By the way they were talking on these screens, trying to follow was like trying to watch tennis- lots of back and forth and you're always just a bit behind the action.

"Me?" she asked, pointing to herself meekly. She cleared her throat before replying, not wanting to sound as nervous as she was at this point.

"I'm Eva. Eva James" she said with a nod, glancing at them with as much friendliness as she could muster. Again her eyes landed back on him, a wave of relief washing over her as she watched him smile politely and gesture to the chair in front of her. She pulled it from the table and sat down slowly, feeling all of their gazes on her.

"So Ms. Potts want our photos taken, does she? Did she tell you what for?" a voice said as soon as she was seated, his tone strong and clear.

She shouldn't have been surprised that it was him- a voice that powerful and demanding of attention would of course be his. It wasn't loud or booming, it was just strong- something in the way he spoke made her listen, made them all listen. She knew he was quizzing her but she felt the tension in her shoulders relax slightly as she set the camera down on the table, shaking her head and lifting her shoulder's in response.

"She's commissioned your portraits, yes. She's put me on retainer for Stark Industries for creative services" she explained, once again glancing across the room. She got nothing but blank stares in response.

"As for why she's asked for these photos," she started, hesitating. Her eyes scanned the room again before settling back onto his blue ones, his face passive if not interested. She lifted her shoulders again in a shrug before continuing.

"You'd have to ask her, but I think it might have something to do with the...press attention you all have been getting" she finished.

Almost on cue, a symphony of groans filled the room as several of them whined, Tony scoffing a laugh while the redhead just rolled her eyes. She watched as his face grimaced as he looked away, begrudging understanding passing across his features.

"Press? What do you mean by 'press'?" a heavily accented voice asked, drawing her eyes back to the screen. He was looking at her critically, heavy brow and furrowed features.

Even in a screen he was a massive figure, taking up most of the screen with his hulking body. His long blonde hair was pulled back and he had steely blue eyes that were trying to bore into her from across the room.

 _Must be Thor._

She paused, pursing her lips as she chose her words.

"The attention your team gets after your missions, the people who report on it. They're the press. I think Ms. Potts hopes to present an...alternative narrative to the one the press has been pushing over the past few months" she offered, feeling as their eyes snapped back towards her.

"What, world-saving team lead by a charismatic, charming leader isn't a good enough story?" Tony scoffed again, sarcasm almost dripping out of his screen.

She watched as he glanced over at the screen, his features set in an unamused expression as he faced Tony.

"I'm going to assume you were talking about me and say Thank You" he chirped, her eyes flickering back to Tony's screen.

The man remained unflinched, giving a petulant frown as he raised his eyebrows.

"Well, you know, I wasn't, but, that's fine" he offered, Steve letting out a single laugh before turning back towards her.

"No but Tony has a point. Is it really that bad?" the fourth screen said, finally breaking his silence.

He was stern. If there was one word she'd use, it was stern. He had a sharp cut face and piercing dark eyes, short brown hair and a small but sturdy body in the frame. She glanced around the room and found 5 expectant glances, the redhead grimacing ever so slightly as if she knew what was coming.

"You all don't read the newspaper very often, do you?" Eva inquired, surprised when Steve laughed shortly after.

"Let's just say that the honeymoon phase on the Avengers is over" she finished, not taking her eyes off him. She could tell from the mere minutes she'd been in the room that he'd be the nut she'd have to crack- that if he was on board, the rest of them would fall in line. She sent him one final pleading glance.

He shook his head, wiping his face with a hand as he turned back to her, defeat written all over him.

"So how will this work?" he asked eventually, another wave of relief passing over her.

"No, Cap, come on. You're not serious, are you?" the redhead cut in instantly, feet off the table in a flash as she glared at him critically.

She stayed silent, wanting to watch this unfold.

Her eyes flashed back towards him, watching the defeat turn into steely resolve. His features hardened as he looked back towards her and to the rest of them, siting up slightly in his chair.

"She has a point. We're not well liked right now. And if we're not well liked, anything we do is going to be put on the front cover of newspapers everywhere, making our lives more difficult. If Ms. Potts thinks this will help, I'm all for it. And you all should be too" he lectured, facing all of them. She watched all of them digest his words except for Tony, who just rolled his eyes and went back to his laptop, clacking away in a sign of defiance.

He turned back towards her and looked at her expectantly, Eva taking her cue.

"I'll be spending some time with each of you over the next few months. I'll be in Cambodia with you, Dr. Banner," she said, giving his screen a small smile that he didn't return, looking at her flatly.

"Then I'll be in Kazakhstan with you, Ms...Romanoff?" she said hesitantly, looking at the only other woman in the room. The redhead glanced at her passively, not betraying a single emotion, raising her eyebrows slightly in what Eva took to be confirmation.

"Than London with you, Thor" she said, the demi-god only grunting in response.

"Then to Kentucky with Mr. Barton, LA with Mr. Stark and then back here with you, Mr. Rogers" she finished, looking at each person after saying their names to look for confirmation. Only Steve gave that to her, giving her a nod as she finished speaking.

An awkward, heavy silence hung in the room now, clawing at her resolve to speak. She rose from her chair, taking it as her cue to leave, stopping at the door when she finally found her words.

"Look, I just want you all to know- I don't want to get in your way. Any of you. I know you have important things to do but Ms. Potts asked me to do this. I'll try to make this as painless as possible for you all. Thank you" she said, trying to speak as earnestly as she could before leaving.

She let the door shut silently behind her as she strode back down the hall, not even realizing till she was back in her room that she left her camera on the table.

 **(Author's Note:** **Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you're all enjoying it. This chapter was a challenge because I really wanted to nail the tone and candence of how each of the character's (and their actors) speak so that it feels native to the MCU timeline. Hopefully you all read the dialogue as if it were a movie! In other news, we'll start exploring Eva/Steve soon, I promise! ))**


	4. Chapter 4: Mumbai

**Chapter 4: Mumbai**

* * *

By the time she went back down to the conference room they were gone, along with her camera. She cursed herself repeatedly as she searched the room, pushing open the conference room doors in frustration after a thorough search. How could she be so stupid? She had one job, to take photos. And now she couldn't do that because she'd forgotten her camera. She knew nobody stole it- either Steve or the redhead had it, but how would she find them? How would they find her?

She was just stepping back onto the elevator when she remembered Travis' words from this morning, hitting the button for the lobby and appearing there a second later. The doors were just parting for her to exit when a body appeared in front of her, all broad shoulders and strength taking up her field of view.

"Oh," she said aloud as her eyes finally reached his face, a small but amused smile playing on his lips as he looked at her.

Wow.

It was insane how attractive he was- being a photographer, she'd stared at lot of faces in her day but his was something else. Everything was perfectly proportioned- the distance between his eyes, the symmetry of his lips, the length of his eyebrows. The only thing that was off was his nose, which tilted slightly to the right after a small bump in the bridge of his nose. The doors started to shut but he reached a hand out to stop them, joining her in the elevator since her feet had failed to exit since she'd been struck dumb by staring at him. She finally looked away from him as she cleared her throat, taking her gaze out to the window.

"I was just coming up to your room to drop this off. You left it on the table" he said as he offered her the camera, her hands accepting it greedily as her heart flushed with relief.

"Oh god, thank you. I was just going to see Travis to see if he could track one of you down- I can't believe I just left it there" she gushed, pulling the strap across her body as her hands cradled the machine delicately. His quiet laughter filled the cabin, drawing her gaze towards him. She caught him shaking his head as they reached their desired floor, his hand going to hold the door open as he gestured for her to exit first.

"It happens to the best of us. I don't think we've had the chance to meet yet. I'm Steve. Steve Rogers" he said as he stepped out of the elevator and offered her a hand. She watched him smile warmly at her and she smiled back, meeting his hand in a firm handshake.

"Eva" she said simply as she released his hand. She was about to say something, a gushing compliment of how polite he'd been in the meeting or how much of an honour it was to meet him, when his wrist emitted two quiet beeps, drawing their attention to it. Her eyes went from his hand to his face as she watched it change, the smile sliding off and being replaced by a grimace. His eyes slid out of focus as he looked over her shoulder, one of his hands coming briefly to his right ear before he turned to go.

"I'm sorry to do this but I've got to take care of something. The, uh, mess hall is down the hall and to the right. Enjoy your stay, Ms. James" he said distractedly, giving a wave before jogging down the hallway and disappearing through a door. She let out a huff and wave pathetically at the space he once occupied, turning on her own heel and back towards the elevator she'd just exited.

* * *

The rest of her day past quietly, not that there was much left to it. She met up with Edward for dinner around 8PM, the mess hall quiet and relatively empty except for Travis who was eating dinner with a pretty looking blonde woman, the pair of them tucked into a corner in what looked to be a date. The knowing glance he shot both of them as they passed made her laugh, Edward raising his eyebrows suggestively once they sat down in a way that made her laugh even more.

They made polite conversation over dinner, Eva remembering to ask about what good stories he had from his life time of travel. And boy, did he deliver. He had her in stitches for hours, the pair of them remaining long after dinner was finish as they continued talking over coffee and tea. He had just finished telling her about the time he lost his pants at a laundromat in Mumbai and had to wear a sari back to his hotel when the door to the mess hall opened, her laughs growing quiet as she saw who was standing there.

"I'd say I'm sorry to interrupt but it sounds like you guys are having a great time in here" he said in a playful voice as he moved over to them, Edward rising from his seat with a wide smile on his face.

"Steve, great to see you again" the elder man greeted as he reached them, Eva watching as the younger man met his hand and shook it firmly, an equally wide smile on his face. There was obviously a lot of affection for Edward at Stark Industries and here at Avengers HQ: everyone who saw Edward was thrilled to talk to him and catch up, something she knew spoke volumes about his character. It put her at ease, knowing he'd be with her over the next few months of the crazy journey ahead. Having somebody like Edward on your team was always a good sign.

"You too, Edward. Its been too long" he said as he slapped the elder man on the shoulder as well, Edward giving a laugh. She was just sipping at her tea when Edward gestured to her, Steve's clear blue eyes landing on her's as if on command.

"Have you met Eva yet, Steve?" Edward said in introduction, Eva nodding in confirmation before giving Steve a small smile. She felt her stomach flop as he smiled back at her, something she couldn't quite place flashing across his eyes.

"We've met. Sorry again about having to run earlier. Duty called" he joked as he raised the empty mug in his hand, a large white clay mug with a red and white embossed A on it. She nodded again understandingly and watched as he moved over to the coffee, filling his mug before pulling out the chair beside Edward and sitting down.

"Let me guess. You were telling her about...Mumbai?" Steve asked, Edward letting out a hardy chuckle that made Eva laugh as well. The three of them picked up where Edward and her had left off, except now Edward had an audience of two instead of one. A couple of stories later 2 quiet beeps interrupted their laughter, this time Edward taking note of his wrist. He did the same thing that Steve had done earlier, looking off into the distance as his eyes slid out of focus and touching a hand to his right ear before letting out a heavy sigh, shaking his head.

"Sorry to cut this short but I've got to step into a conference call. I'll see you in the morning, Ms. James," he said as he rose from his seat, Steve rising as well as he held out a hand.

"Steve, don't be a stranger" he ordered sternly, Eva's eyes watching as the captain grinned bashfully as he turned to watch Edward leave, her own surprise rising as Steve didn't move.

A silence set in, neither comfortable nor awkward, as she watched him sit back down, his eyes landing back on her. She gestured with her chin towards the door before speaking, taking a sip of her own mug.

"You two seem close" she said with a smile, watching as his own lips turned up as well. There was something about the way the light was hitting him right now that made her wish she had her camera- he was all strong angles and highlighted features with his elbows resting on the table, hands wrapped around opposite forearms. His eyes flickered over to the door and then back to her, nodding absentmindedly.

"Eddie's been through a lot with us. He was already working with Tony and Pepper before the Avengers ever happened and he's been a real asset for us when we work overseas. He's a good guide. You're lucky to have him with you" he offered as he picked up his mug, taking another swig of the caffeine. She chuckled to herself quietly as she gently shook her head, draining her mug of her tea.

"Yeah, I'm picking up on that" she said softly as she too put her elbows on the table, resting her chin in the palm of one of her hands. The room was quiet and dark, only a few overhead lights illuminating the room. It didn't feel this way with Edward but with just the two of them the lighting seemed oddly romantic, soft in all the right ways, as it cast a warm glow on everything. She was just coming up with a way to politely ask him to stay put while she went to go fetch her camera when he broke her revere.

"So, Ms. James. Sounds like you've got an exciting few months ahead" he offered, starting them down a new path. She laughed quietly as she brushed some wanton strands of hair off her face, grinning at him meekly.

"Please, call me Eva. And yes, yes I do. Terrifying but exciting" she said with a chuckle, watching as he smiled sympathetically back at her.

"What, world travel doesn't do it for you?" he teased, making her laugh again. While she should have been surprised at how easy it was to talk to him, she wasn't- his file had told her all about how charming he was. Apparently being in the 21st century did nothing to deter his old fashion courtesy and manners, something she could see and appreciate. She lifted her shoulders in a playful shrug before leaning back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other as she slid out of the direct light above them.

"Its not the travel that makes me nervous. It's you guys" she offered simply, giving another shrug. She watched his face for reaction, getting nothing but a gentle purse of the lips and a lifting of his eyebrows.

"You're scared of us? Please. We're nothing but marshmallows once you get past the superpowers and costumes" he said with a grin, taking another drink from his mug. She laughed at his words, feeling any tension she had release from her shoulders. She had to admit- he was definitely charming. She could tell though his words and through his body language that he understood what she meant though, a knowing look in his eyes that washed her with relief.

Ever since their meeting earlier today, a heavy ball of anxiety had settled in her stomach. Their introduction hadn't really gone as well as she'd hoped- she could tell by their reaction that they were un-enthused at best, angry and frustrated at worst. She knew they'd likely be a little resistant to the project (because who likes getting their pictures taken anyways) but anger would be a harder mountain for her to tackle. She was trying to capture them in new and compelling ways and sour attitudes were only going to make her job harder than it already was going to be.

"While I wish that were true, something tells me its not going to be that easy. Not if that welcome I got today is any indication" she said cautiously, not wanting to press too far. He surprised her by giving a lone chuckle, draining his mug before putting it back on the table and pushing it away from him. And then, he looked at her. He just looked at her. After a few moments she felt her skin begin to flush under the scrutiny of his gaze but she just looked right back at him, not wanting to look away first.

"This is really important to you, isn't it" he pressed as he leaned back in chair, draping an arm over the back of the chair Edward just vacated.

It was her turn to purse her lips and raise her eyebrows, raising a single one in challenge at his question as she replied.

"Its my job. Is your job important to you?" she challenged back heatedly, watching as he processed her retort. His lips curled into a small smile as he nodded slightly, blue eyes dancing with amusement.

"Touche" he replied, Eva's lips twitching up into a smile as the tension broke. She laughed and let out a breath in a huff, blowing some strands of hair out of her eyes as she rubbed the back of her neck with one of her hands.

"Do you think the photos will help? With our...image problem?" he asked eventually, her eyes coming up off the table and over to him. The lines on his face were deeper then they should have been, his brow slightly furrowed as he watched her, leaning forward again to rest his elbows on the table. She watched him for a few seconds before she realized what the look was- he looked concerned, worried even.

 _He gets it._

"I do" she said, her voice oddly confident.

"How can you be so sure?" he followed up, his voice quiet and almost hushed.

She let her eyes wash over his features again. God, he was handsome. Even now, with his face etched with worry and concern, he was still the most stunning man she'd ever laid eyes on. She kept her eyes on as she formulated her answer, knowing that it'd have to be a good one. Eventually her eyes flickered over his shoulder through the glass walls and to the courtyard outside, getting lost in her thoughts.

"I can't be sure. But I know how powerful art can be, especially photography. There are so many iconic photographs out there that make you feel something: the afghan girl and her blue eyes, the vulture and the Sudanese child, the sailor kissing the woman in Times Square, the American flag over Iwo Jima. Those photos make you feel something, they make you think. Now I'll be the first one to admit: I'm by no means the best photographer in the world," she teased, giving him a smile that he returned slowly.

"But your stories are compelling. Assassin turned agent, billionaire turned superhero, soldier turned super soldier. The world knows your names and your uniforms but they don't know you beyond that. I want to show the world that there's more to you all than war and conflict- that behind these superpowers and costumes are people. Real people. Who struggle with things just like the rest of us do, maybe even more so. I think the best way to get people on your side again is to help them understand you, and I think the best way to help them understand you is to show them who you all really are. And I can do that. If you guys let me" she finished.

She watched his eyes trace over her for a few seconds before he nodded in agreement. In a way, his face looked relieve, the tension gone from around his eyes. He looked down at his wrist before pushing himself away from the table, rising from his chair. She did the same, standing just a few feet shy of him.

"I'll talk to the team and make sure they don't give you a hard time. Good luck, Eva. I look forward to seeing what you capture" he said with a final nod, giving her a final look over before heading out.

She let out a deep exhale as she watched him leave, more relief washing over her as she realized that she had an ally.

 **(Author's Note: Thanks for all the follows and favourites! Please review if you'd like, any constructive feedback is always welcome. Hope you're enjoying it!)**


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